Swan Lake

One night in a faraway kingdom, Odette joins her friends by the lake, unaware she has entered the lair of an evil predator, Rothbart. Part man and part bird, Rothbart casts a spell enslaving Odette to live by day as a swan. Only a pledge of true love and fidelity will set her free. When the kingdom’s eligible royal, Siegfried, falls in love with Odette, Rothbart conjures a trick to keep them apart – Odile, a ravishing imitation of Odette.

Prologue

A young woman, Odette, ventures deep into the woods one night with her friends, seeking adventure. Arriving at a lakeside clearing, the women are suddenly aware of a sinister presence. Unbeknownst to them, they have entered the lair of an evil predator, Rothbart, part man and part bird, who captures Odette with his enormous wings, the symbol and instrument of his power. As the others escape, Odette is cursed to live in captivity as a swan, returning to human form only at night.

Act I
Many Years Later: A Royal Courtyard

Prince Siegfried’s friends are preparing a surprise party in his honour as he has recently come of age and will soon take up his royal duties. The young friends bring gifts and enjoy an easygoing camaraderie in the absence of authority figures with Siegfried’s sisters Celia and Elizabeth and his closest friend Benno leading the charge.

Siegfried approaches with his beloved Tutor who presents him with a book, a sign of the education and care the Tutor has provided to him since childhood. Aware that his carefree days are now behind him, Siegfried is burdened with thoughts of the future.

The Prince’s gloom intensifies when his mother, the Queen, makes an appearance at the party on her return from hunting and she presents him with a crossbow. The Queen reminds her son gently of his royal obligation to wed and says he will be expected to choose a bride the following night at the masked ball.

After the party, Siegfried shares his feelings of sadness with his Tutor and then abruptly sends him away as though testing his newfound authority. Brooding, Siegfried takes up the crossbow and sets out for the woods.

Act II
The Lakeside

Prince Siegfried emerges by the lake to discover a mysterious transformation in process. Night has fallen and Odette is returning to human form. Siegfried watches from a distance and, enchanted, he starts to approach her. The sight of the crossbow frightens Odette but Siegfried gains her trust and she begins to tell her story, explaining that she is held captive by Rothbart and only a vow of true and faithful love will free her. Siegfried’s fascination with Odette deepens and they become closer, with each discovering a sense of freedom and understanding in their union. But Rothbart is quick to intervene and suddenly the lakeside is filled with women under his control. With dawn approaching, Siegfried prepares to vow his love to Odette but she cautions him that he must be certain it is a promise he can keep. Reluctantly, he agrees to wait until after the masked ball.

Intermission

Act III
The Following Night: The Masked Ball

Preparations are underway for the masked ball where Prince Siegfried must choose a bride. Attendants light an enormous chandelier while the Tutor oversees every detail as Master of Ceremonies. Benno, Celia and Elizabeth arrive early and are soon joined by a room full of guests wearing fanciful costumes and masks that add intrigue to the glamorous event.

Siegfried arrives late, a sign of his reticence and preoccupation with thoughts of Odette. Four interested women arrive at the ball, eager for an opportunity to win the Prince’s heart. Each woman, with a group of friends in tow, performs a dance with the goal of captivating Siegfried’s interest and affection. But Siegfried is unmoved.

Fanfare sounds the arrival of a mesmerizing new guest, Rothbart, who has a plan to keep Odette under his control. With his identity concealed by his costume, Rothbart conjures a trick for the crowd – a stunning vision of a beguiling, masked woman called Odile who looks exactly like Odette. Everyone falls under Odile’s spell but none more than Siegfried who believes she must be Odette. At Rothbart’s prompting, Siegfried makes a vow of true and faithful love to Odile, betraying Odette in error just as Rothbart planned.

Chaos ensues and a violent storm floods the palace. Siegfried sees a vision of Odette in despair and, realizing his mistake, he rushes to the lakeside to find her.

Act IV
The Lakeside

Odette’s companions lament Prince Siegfried’s betrayal and its consequences for Odette, who will remain imprisoned by Rothbart. Odette comes to them, heartbroken, and they commune with her tenderly.

Odette’s grief turns to anger when Rothbart appears. She confronts him with his treachery and in a furious response he whips up a storm. Siegfried arrives amidst the turmoil to beg Odette for forgiveness, which she grants, knowing that he has been tricked. But all is still lost. Rothbart separates the lovers a final time and he causes Siegfried to drown in the storm, leaving Odette in captivity.

• Director Chelsea McMullan went behind the scenes to capture the fascinating creation process for Kain’s Swan Lake in the award-winning documentary film and CBC miniseries, Swan Song.
   
• The revered dual role of Odette/Odile is a testing ground for classical dancers around the world, demanding both technical prowess and dramatic range.
   
• Kain was iconic as Odette/Odile and she reinstated some of her favourite choreography for this staging, while adding new choreography from her creative team.
   
• In Kain’s Swan Lake, Odette is not a real swan; she’s a captive woman who finds comfort among others suffering under Rothbart’s control.
   
• Gabriela Týlešová’s design is straight from a fairy-tale, with sumptuous costumes, a palace garden and ominous wings that enclose the stage.

Karen Kain joined The National Ballet of Canada in 1969 and was promoted to Principal Dancer in 1971. Over the course of her dancing career, she collaborated with top choreographers, toured internationally and worked in stage and film. Kain led the National Ballet as Artistic Director with great success from 2005 until she stepped down in June 2021 and was named Artistic Director Emerita.

Swan Lake was Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s first commission for ballet. While it did not premiere with the full ballet until 1895, after the composer’s death and revised by Riccardo Drigo, Tchaikovsky brought incredible drama to the music. His use of melody and vibrant orchestration have made Swan Lake one of the most admired and recognizable ballet scores in the world.

Directed and Staged by:
Karen Kain, C.C., LL.D., D.Litt., O.Ont.

Choreography:
Karen Kain, Christopher Stowell and Robert Binet after Erik Bruhn, Lev Ivanov and Marius Petipa

Music:
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Set, Property and Costume Design:
Gabriela Týlešová

Lighting Designer:
Bonnie Beecher

Projection Designer:
Sean Nieuwenhuis

Design Associate, Wardrobe:
Marjory Fielding

Design Assistant, Wardrobe:
Allie Marshall

Design Associate, Set & Properties:
Joshua Quinlan

World Premiere: The National Ballet of Canada, Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Toronto, June 10, 2022 

Produced and Commissioned by The National Ballet of Canada.

Lead philanthropic support for Swan Lake is provided by The Walter Carsen New Creations Fund, with generous underwriting from Richard M. Ivey, C.C., an anonymous friend of the National Ballet, Susan Scace & Arthur Scace, C.M., K.C., Pamela and Paul Austin and The P. Austin Family Foundation, The Catherine and Maxwell Meighen Foundation, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, Nancy Pencer, Sandra Pitblado, C.M. & Jim Pitblado, C.M., Gretchen Ross & Donald Ross, O.C., Anne-Marie Canning, Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Tim & Frances Price, The Volunteer Committee of The National Ballet of Canada and Kevin Garland & Roger Garland, C.M. Additional support provided by The Producers’ Circle.  

The Producers’ Circle (2022): Gail & Mark Appel, John & Claudine Bailey, Inger Bartlett & Marshal Stearns, Laura Dinner & Richard Rooney, Gail Drummond & Bob Dorrance, The Thor E. and Nicole Eaton Family Charitable Foundation, Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan, Kevin Garland & Roger Garland, C.M., Ira Gluskin & Maxine Granovsky Gluskin, The William & Nona Heaslip Foundation, Anna McCowan-Johnson & Donald K. Johnson, O.C., Judy Korthals & Peter Irwin, Mona & Harvey Levenstein, JerryLozinski, O.C. & Joan Lozinski, O.C., The Honourable Margaret Norrie McCain, C.C., Julie Medland, Sandra Pitblado, C.M. & Jim Pitblado, C.M., The Harry & Lillian Seymour Family Foundation, Gerald Sheff & Shanitha Kachan and The Jack Weinbaum Family Foundation.